Why Suspenders Are BETTER Than Belts [Belts VS Braces] | Kirby Allison

[@adamweeks614]

I sit for long periods of time as part of my career. Belts cut into my waist. I didn’t think much of it until I wore a summer suit with braces last week. It dawned on me that I was far more comfortable. Now I will begin the transition to braces for all of my suits. Thanks Kirby for confirming what I have recently discovered.

[@AgeofDoom]

As an accessory, suspenders are by far prettier than belts and show more. I also love that I don't have to keep pulling up the pants and they don't irritate my waist and tummy area. A negative is that they limit you a bit in when you will wear them

[@alihuss.3545]

6 months from now when Kirby starts making belts: Why Belts Are BETTER Than Suspenders

[@kirbyallison]

We are making belts! About to launch in a few weeks. I prefer braces for formalwear. But to each’s own. Some people simply like belts. Or wear belts with more casual outfits.

[@vlogsbyalejandro]

To be fair, everybody has a specific taste. Not everyone will like the same thing. Kirby is running a business after all. You have to be able to include products such as belts because there will always be people that want them.

[@hqrlock]

Everyone in the sartorial milieu recommends suspenders.

[@woohaa27]

Can you use suspenders for working out

[@OneWildTurkey]

I seldom hear it mentioned, but properly fitting trousers also don't interfere with digestion like most modern cut slacks and jeans do.

[@mrnorthpresents]

I love how you're introducing some of us to the British terms of some of these fashion staples. My favorite so far is "dressing gown" lol classic!

[@clarenceclarence9529]

What do Americans typically call them? I’ve never used one so I wouldn’t know.

[@AntPDC]

Onesies?@@clarenceclarence9529

[@porkchopproductions0314]

​@@clarenceclarence9529A dressing gown is mostly just called a robe

[@logicalchristian12]

I stopped wearing belts after I started watch Kirby, Vladimir and Hugo.

[@daudbangla]

Hugo 💙

[@vlogsbyalejandro]

I love Hugo.

[@theDapperVault]

Suspenders > Belts. Aesthetics and functionality.

[@kirbyallison]

In all respects! Couldn’t agree more. Only secret is making sure braces don’t slide down the shoulders (aka are adjusted correctly at the back) and that the trousers are cut sufficiently large in the waist.

[@theDapperVault]

@@kirbyallison Thanks for the tips, Kirby. In very rare cases, I do feel a bit of discomfort on my shoulders from supporting the weight of the trousers. Ever experienced this or is it just me? 🤔

[@jamessalvatore7054]

Starting buying and wearing Albert Thurston braces has been such a joy and upgrade to my wardrobe.

[@walterfoyt5985]

I’ve been wearing braces for over 25 years and love them. I have an excellent tailor and all my suits made to accommodate.

[@jonwalker2929]

Great video. I switched to braces (as we call them in the Commonwealth) years ago because it created a better drape. The brown/coffee suspenders and the burgundy tie are @Kirby Allison's best look.

[@JohnnyWrongo-b9l]

I have begun wearing suspenders again and I enjoy the difference between belts and suspenders.

[@Headhunterzify]

I’ve been meaning to try braces as I’ve never enjoyed belts, but never really understood how. Now, I can go out and look for ‘em!

[@rogercaughell4282]

This is one of the best videos that you've ever made! So many nuances to suspenders and their wear.

[@danceswithbadgers]

I went to braces for my outdoor/hiking gear some time ago and much prefer them as it's so much more comfortable. I wear braces with my work trousers too for the same reason. As I start a project to revamp my casual and formal wardrobe, though I rarely wear anything other than work or hiking clothes, I'm set on braces for trousers in that area too.

[@adrian_V99]

I stopped wearing pants and now wear trousers. Thanks, Kirby. BTW , Wyatt Earp did not wear braces. They tend to get in the way of holsters.

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

I 85O 6IO 2O3I

[@Josh.Stovall]

As a big man, suspenders look awesome and are a functioning necessity.

[@SomeBotOfficial]

Well I just randomly stumbled on this video, makes me wanna buy some lol

[@kirbyallison]

KirbyAllison.com 😉

[@SunriseLAW]

Mr. Allison: your tie's tail ? Is that the new fashion ?

[@ReiRei12]

Ever since I started wearing suspenders I just cannot use belts anymore.

[@AntPDC]

Thank you. You said you sourced your braces from England. Could you kindly provide the name of the company? I'm in England and wish to avoid the shipping costs.

[@jesusmgw]

I switched to suspenders a few months ago and everythings is as Kirby says. But I have a flight in 2 weeks and am a bit concerned about having to take them out for the scanners.

[@TheJTMcDaniel]

You can still get traditional fishtail trousers, though it takes a bit of searching to find them.

[@voilatc1619]

Did I see you walking in St James Street today, heading towards John Lobb and Lock & Co wearing a very stylish hat?

[@eddiewood6700]

If you have back problems braces are essential, a belt can make back pain much worse. Braces have changed my life!

[@helenasatire5848]

It's been nice watching you talk and reading comments... If you could enable subtitles, I'd also know what you've been saying for those eight minutes...

[@skizzarz]

Fitted like that, you[re a boss for wearing that tie as such.

[@xyzoub]

You have a beautiful well-fitted shirt, though I may kindly point out your sleeve length appears too short: the sleeve, when unbuttoned, should fall over part of the lower hand, seeming 'too big', but be slightly anchored on top of the lower hand when buttoned. Another way to get proper length is to put your arms forward, or bend them: the fit is better when the length of the sleeve allows excess fabric to maintain a decent coverage of the lower arm. With an appropriate length there is no need to ever 'pull' the shirt out of the jacket arm: the small cuff sticking out of the jacket always remains the same, whether the arm is straight or bent.

[@catedoge3206]

just bought one!

[@jlozano2014]

Been thinking of trying suspenders

[@j.brownofficial5433]

Aye boss would you say braces are better at making a belly look better ? I feel my belts jus make my stomach look way more huge than it actually is

[@scothammond5736]

I even wear suspenders with my blue jeans.

[@markbalue4541]

What color braces should be worn? What should they match if anything? Thanks for your time and help Mark

[@davidk.8434]

Traditionally speaking, braces are underwear and should be hidden under a jacket. Under more relaxed rules I say match the pants, or for a more conservative look, match the shirt

[@saxguychris]

Though I can't get a more customized pair of trousers at this moment, I'm still excited to try out braces with my two suits... or at least one of them. One suit's trousers has belt loops, the other's has side adjusters. My only question is: How do you store braces after wear?

[@nicholaslawrence6926]

You can drape them on a clothes hanger for storage. For me, I roll them up and put them in a bag. Either way, be careful not to fold your suspenders in any way so that you don't get creases on them.

[@gdretired4385]

No I realize that I would have to take them to a tailor.

[@martintaylor984]

Now before I say this I am serious, I’m a construction worker/ equipment operator. how can I be well dressed at work with this kind of career.

[@TheRacso2552]

I used to like suspenders but I have come to appreciate belts. Atleast if they are slim like the vintage ones. So now I wear braces with suits and belts with odd jackets. I would even wear a belt with a suit if it’s a casual suit like in cotton, corduroy or linen.

[@-Nobody-1]

Nooo to thin belts as wide as possible and thich solid leather. Same belt for 21 years worn everyday. 1&3/4” wide with large brass buckle.

[@teenoso4069]

Correctly fitting trousers are even better. Side adjusters as an insurance

[@timcorrell9863]

I completely agree except braces make correctly fitting trousers much better, especially with side adjusters as an insurance, as you say. Only to prevent or significantly reduce the risk of hooping at the top of the center of the rear, a rear adjuster as an insurance is also needed. Even with that vent (the one at the center of the top of the rear of the trousers) that Kirby Allison says is very important.

[@RogerOThornhill]

Agree! Kirby needs another trip to his tailor:)

[@johnmurdoch8534]

Amen!

[@psilocybemusashi]

its so true... i order all my pants for bracers these days and have been since 2016... it is usually odd to wear them in public unless you're wearing a jacket so they also encourage a more finished look when you go out. my problem is i'm so fat my pants stay up easily lol

[@nicholaslawrence6926]

Yes, when you wear suspenders in public (without a jacket), people tend to stare. It's because it's so rare for guys to wear it these days that you would seem like a time-traveller from the 1940s if you wore it 😄 But mostly, people stare because it looks good on you.

[@mharmaansheikh6388]

But I have a question sir what about clip on suspenders that are the most commonly available suspenders

[@kirbyallison]

Same difference. They work also. Just not quite as elegant as the leather ends of braces. And the way the ends are constructed distributes the weight across two buttons instead of one clip. Does a better job controlling the drape of the trouser (one button pulls the pleat closed while the other keeps the side of the trouser from dropping).

[@mharmaansheikh6388]

@@kirbyallison oh ok I will keep that in mind

[@NicholasIngel]

Fantastic video thank you. I would appreciate your thoughts on braces and a waistcoat?

[@lawfulbeneficiary1731]

Simply wear white braces they go with all outfits

[@ajaxSAF]

Where did you get those lovely brown suspenders??

[@111ImNumber1]

How would you compare them with Albert Thurston’s? It seems like yours were made by them too

[@kirbyallison]

Thurston indeed makes for us. They’re the best. We source some of their fabrics and send them some of ours. Everything MTO for us. And I think we’re the only ones in the United States at least with a back adjuster.

[@darrenc3439]

@@michaelm9141 I for one and shocked, shocked I say, that Kirby didnt call and ask you for your approval.......

[@aayazahmed5389]

What is the best brand for suspender?

[@PapaZigg]

Is there anything wrong with wearing clip suspenders?

[@AntPDC]

It's subjective. They can look tacky, especially if partnered with quality garments.

[@Dan-jo8py]

You just can't see Al Capone wearing a belt...

[@brizzell2101]

What about concealed carry of a firearm knife etc

[@RobertJonesWightpaint]

Well yes, but the real problem here is the difficulty of buying trousers that are properly cut - crucially, with enough rise so that they fit at the waist, not at the level of the hip-bone. You address this in the video, but - it's impossible to find off-the-peg trousers that fit properly, and in the UK at least, going to a tailor is complicated: first, you have to find one; and that is increasingly difficult; then, you have to be able to afford the very considerable difference in price between off the peg and tailor-made: this difference may well be coming down in the USA - but I've not noticed the same phenomenon in the UK.

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

Thank you for your comment. I will also advice you to venture into crypto currency with Christopher Stephens. You can reach out directly to him on WhatsApp.

[@timcorrell9863]

I was told by somebody who frequently visits the United Kingdom that there are currently about 500 tailors throughout that country.

[@jacobmcginnis7244]

Unrelated to the video (I apologize) I have question on the proper way to polish Leather Strand Weaved shoes. A video on the subject would be most helpful. Good day Kirby. Keep up the excellent work.

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

Thank you for your comment. I will also advice you to venture into crypto currency with Christopher Stephens. You can reach out directly to him on WhatsApp..

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

I 85O 6IO 2O3I...

[@anonymousok]

The tie plsssss

[@melvinmckinney9120]

I wear braces with all of my suits. They are very fashionable.

[@haydenspray219]

What companies make good trousers for braces? I am in Louisville, KY and don’t have access to quality tailors.

[@covidhoax7646]

The reason why suspenders were invented is such that people that don’t have a waste don’t lose pants without an elastic waste band. So, unless you’re a butter ball or an old man, there is no reason to wear suspenders.

[@RogerOThornhill]

1) Someone needs to design and build better side adjusters that don't loosen up throughout the day. 2) If you need both suspenders and side adjusters (and if you don't have a big belly that's flattered by the looseness of pants with suspenders), isn't it time to have the waist of your trousers taken in?

[@SleepDisorderedBreathing]

Are those the solid coffee brown braces you're wearing?

[@lksclaudino]

How to use this type of suspender on pants that do not have a button to fasten them?

[@AntPDC]

Well, I mean, add buttons right?

[@marvincool3744]

Your tie is driving me crazy

[@ericdavis1660]

Your tie?

[@JabbaDaNut156]

Is a trouser the same thing as pants?

[@MrShastymax]

What is going on with at that tie?

[@ahpadt]

Kirby, could you recommend some English makers for trousers? I've worked my way through good makers of shirts and shoes over the last year but am still a bit stumped of where to go as I am still in the shirt-chino-dress shoes phase and not yet into suits.

[@DB-cz9uu]

My Levis dont have those little braces buttons!!! what should i do

[@toonsoffun5733]

You can add them yourself (watch a tutorial) or hand the pants to a tailor.

[@IceWilly1]

Kirby, I just bought a pair of dark chili fifth avenues, looking for a nice medium brown shoe with a little more visual interest. Much of this was based off your visual comparisons to oxblood and coffee/walnut in reviews. Coffee seemed too uniform/bland for my taste and I could accept a little dark/redder to have some character. The pair I got are quite dark, with a pretty uniform finish. In direct sunlight the color varies ever so slightly around the stitching, but that's about it. In low light they look like a slightly reddish but uniform darker brown. Is this the typical finish for dark chili at this point in time? Should I try to get a new pair and hope for a lighter finish? Once I get my oxbloods back in good shape, there won't be much difference between the two shoes like I was hoping for.

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

Thank you for your comment. I will also advice you to venture into crypto currency with Christopher Stephens. You can reach out directly to him on WhatsApp.

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

I 85O 6IO 2O3I

[@philliphinkle2812]

I wear suspenders and Ive never heard of the term "braces". Is this a British name? Is there a difference?

[@riyad3399]

جميــــلــ 🍸

[@machoprotegido5607]

I am looking for short ties for my extra high waisted trousers.

[@countalma9800]

Your only options are: vintage ties (pre-2000); custom ties (Sam Hober, Shibumi, Patrizio Cappelli are good options), and alteration service Tiecrafters in New York City, who can shorten and narrow your ties.

[@machoprotegido5607]

@@countalma9800 Thanks for the good advice!

[@johninmontana5847]

Working in the trades, suspenders are way better than belts. I'll have tools in my pockets and a tape measure on my waistband- a belt has never been enough to keep my pants where they need to be. Not only is it unsightly to others (let's face it- no one likes to work around a guy who's crack is out), it's unsafe. Up a ladder is the last place you want to be to hike your pants up with an extra five pounds on your waist... That being said, I wish there was a place that sold work suspenders with that adjustable back. That'd be a game-changer.

[@michaelp9707]

Good Stuff,I'd still consider wearing a belt along side them for the styling aspect.

[@-Nobody-1]

Oh god…. 1&3/4” brown solid leather belt with large brass buckle all day everyday, same belt for 21 years and not changing #teambelt

[@countalma9800]

This is great, but if you wear higher wasted trousers with braces, the necktie should be shorter.

[@timcorrell9863]

I tie my neckties so that the front blade is 3/4 of an inch lower than the rear blade as I always wear a three piece suit with braces. I had to by my off the rack suit separate with a trouser waist size four inches greater than normal to wear them on the waist. I also had the alterations tailor remove the belt loops (no damage done) and install six brace buttons on both pairs of my trousers.

[@neosaba2777]

I was told that suspenders can't be worn with a tie ?

[@lawfulbeneficiary1731]

Wrong

[@baze3SC]

Valid points though I think there are legitimate cases where you might need (or want) to take your jacket off, e.g. during travel. I think in such situations the belt looks better and less distracting. Maybe it's a cultural thing but in my country only little boys wear braces and you don't see grown men wearing them. But of course, I recognize that braces have a long history (just like belts).

[@vaughnreedjr6592]

Overall

[@billkeaveney1526]

I love wearing braces 👍

[@alrightythen759]

"Never"?

[@redhedkev1]

Gee Mr. Men's fashion, your tie, the smaller back portion appears to be longer than the front of your tie. OMG, 7:59......is that a new look for ties? I'm not super informed sartorially speaking. On the whole, I did enjoy the video and did indeed learn a few things. It is just making a trip to a tailor and deal with the $ $ $ if you want at least a few dressier items that fit you well.

[@JuanLopez-rx6sx]

What happened to your previous intro?

[@kirbyallison]

Was too long… short KZbin attention spans penalized us.

[@jektonoporkins5025]

I agree with your assessment but I'm having a hard time taking you seriously on account of your tie technique.

[@surinderjitsingh8954]

How many minimum pairs of braces should a gentleman have ???

[@kirbyallison]

Probably 4-6 pairs would accommodate most wardrobes.

[@surinderjitsingh8954]

@@kirbyallison which colours are the most versatile

[@keshavrao212]

@@surinderjitsingh8954 Navy, dark green, khaki, some striped ones, casual oxford cloth suspenders, etc. Remember, they have to be button on!

[@andrewjohnston4127]

When you're from the UK and forget you call them suspenders in the US 😂 I totally read the title the wrong way

[@Josh.Stovall]

Only southerners and men who attend formal functions wear them in the US it seems. However, In that it's kind of a big man's belt in the south. I don't like wearing belts anymore after going to braces i.e. suspenders.

[@Josh.Stovall]

Cheers! Lolz 🤣

[@stardust4225]

@@Josh.Stovall my father wears suspenders i.e. braces. hes always been tall and lean. we are not in the south, so much lol. but yes i do know that big men also find them more comfortable. if it keeps ones drawers up, i think its a fantastic idea lol

[@playerzero2236]

Suspenders can't holster a steel 10mm and spare mags.

[@Gregsgreatfood]

Shoulder holster.

[@playerzero2236]

@@Gregsgreatfood Got one of those, too

[@SunriseLAW]

I searched "gun holster for suspenders" and learned they make suspenders that ARE gun holsters. Big Big mistake on my part: a couple Google searches on anything 'gun' and KZbin takes you down this path.......................

[@firearmsstudent]

You need a good belt with lateral torsional stiffness, ideally with stiffeners added. A good quality gun belt will make a crappy holster bearable, but a poor quality belt (Like a flimsy leather one) will make even the most exceptional holster unbearable. Don't skimp on the belt.

[@Altonahk]

@@Gregsgreatfood The shoulder holster is an inferior option. 1) You should always draw from the same general spot if possible, so shoulder holster isn't going to be the same as belt, even if you use cross draw, limiting your wardrobe options to something with a jacket for all occasions. 2) Cross draw increases the likelihood that a situation where you can't draw the weapon is more likely, and you tend to telegraph your draw just a little more. The main value of the shoulder holster is if you're constantly driving, as it's easier to draw in a car than a belt holster.

[@jamescrone1588]

Dude looks like homelander

[@toddmarks581]

Braces are superior compared to a belt, superbly more comfortable, practical, functional. I’m literally going to start wearing braces with all my everyday to dress attire.

[@galou0090]

How casual of an outfit do you normally wear? I can't see myself wearing braces with jeans and a suede jacket, that would look off. Especially when you take the jacket off

[@toddmarks581]

@@galou0090 braces are so functional and comfortable I prefer them to wear with jeans and a tee shirt daily. It’s not a fashion statement, it’s the proper way.

[@TraumaER]

*Why Belts are BETTER than Braces:* _Try using a public bathroom LOL_

[@crisyorke1328]

They don't go to the bathroom. LOL

[@TraumaER]

@@crisyorke1328 HAHA! That is what I never understood about suspenders. They can look all badass until you gotta pee and use a public urinal at a baseball game next to 30 other guys.

[@teekue]

​@@TraumaERhigh rise trousers and then open the zipper...

[@Oli4Post]

Yes, all this is true, until...you have to take a dump (or no2). Do you leave the suspenders dangling over your shoulders or do you loosen the suspenders from the back and then flip them over collecting them in your trousers? Or do you remove it completely (all 6 buttons) and hang it on the small hook occupied by your jacket. You know, practicalities are a bitch.

[@nicholaslawrence6926]

That's the biggest drawback about suspenders LOL When you need to use a public bathroom for that purpose. Personally, I would take them off completely (i.e. undoing all six buttons) and hang them on the hook behind the door. That way, the suspenders would not touch the cubicle floor or the bowl itself (God forbid!).

[@nicholaslawrence6926]

@@murph_mustela I've actually done that before when there was no hook LOL

[@nicholaslawrence6926]

@@murph_mustela I do occasionally wonder how hard it must be for women in dresses to use the bathrooom in public. There's a KZbinr that I sometimes follow called Bernadette Banner. She's very into Victorian era dresses and clothing. She posted a video once called . You might want to take a look at it. (I can't post the link here or this comment will get deleted.) I haven't watched it though.

[@teekue]

Pull them off the shoulders and let them hang with your trousers around your ankles.

[@fischputza]

Not digging the "2 tie" look tbh Other than that, you perfectly nailed the grandpa outfit

[@lou.fortune]

been noticing that in alot of videos. I honestly don't know if that's a "thing" but it looks sloppy. only dress like him for events n interviews n I would NEVER leave the house like that, am I doing it wrg?

[@fubargrinch]

Thought the same thing. Wondering if I missed that video.

[@gregorythomas2674]

@@fubargrinch It looks ridiculous. The deal is he is such a "stuffed shirt" that he thinks having the back tie blade hand lower is sprezzatura. He just looks sloppy but never seems to catch on that Gianni Agnelli he is not.

[@johncas1]

Albert Thurston make the best braces hand made in the uk and sold to vips royalty and us presidents worldwide the best you can buy

[@kirbyaiiison5385]

I 85O 6IO 2O3I

[@johncas1]

I live in Leicester where the factory is you should visit one day

[@teekue]

​@@johncas1they are from Albert Thurston, you can recognize the box easily.

[@shilohpayer5001]

Soon as i find me some tac suspenders that will hold both my pants and my gun. Ill get rid of my tac belts.

[@adkfolk3725]

I use a handmade leather shoulder hoster when dressed in a suit.

[@quarlmephystodot2201]

because they make you really look like tilly tom bill bob bill boi

[@StitchedSteel]

your tie tail being longer than the front blade of the tie is driving me mad i couldnt finish the video it was so bad

[@lilhomies9715]

Kirby iron your trousers man

[@Kushcatchem]

What’s wrong with ur tie man it looks weird

[@heruvey87]

If you want to look over 50 and like a detective when ever you take your jacket off sure.

[@DMMDwrestler]

Tie bar and tie your tie properly, bro.

[@gdretired4385]

How can a man wear suspenders if his pants are not made for them?

[@kirbyallison]

Yep! Most important thing is that they fit large in the waist to allow the trousers to hang.

[@rastrats]

@@kirbyallison I'm glad I put off having the waist taken in, now that I have a real solution for my oversized trousers. Oversized only in the waist, that is. A worry that airport security though. George Clooney demonstrates in Up In The Air how to negotiate that, by removing his shoes etc.

[@travisrice6163]

Dudes tie is too short. He lost me.

[@mharmaansheikh6388]

Belts for casual wear Suspenders for formals

[@kirbyallison]

Precisely!

[@pablom.5698]

Nah. Braces for both.

[@Richest_Person_in_the_World]

What kind of ridiculous tie wearing is that

[@joshuadavis7484]

What's your issue with the tie?

[@Richest_Person_in_the_World]

@@joshuadavis7484 Narrow blade being visible below the wide blade etc.

[@TRocksGarage777]

It's a thing Covert B. All the cool people are doing it.

[@isaiahayers1550]

Why is this American using nothing but British terms?

[@BillyY-ei2vi]

Holy cow, the braces are over $100. Rich people problems.